Marking apparatus for elongated objects

ABSTRACT

Marking apparatus for printing on the surface of elongated objects, comprising a rotatable marking roll adapted to engage the object, a rotatable feeding roll partially immersed in an ink trough and being in engagement with the marking roll to transfer ink thereto, an assembly for causing the feeding roll to rotate at a lower speed than the marking roll, and an automatic ink feed device which supplies ink to the trough.

101/351, DIG. 16, 363, 207, 208; 117/231-233; 222/585-589; 401/120 1United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,828,665 Ogura et al. Aug. 13, 1974 [54]MARKING APPARATUS FOR ELONGATED [56] References Cited OBJECTS UNlTEDSTATES PATENTS [75] Inventors: Katsutoshi Ogura; Katsuichi 730,0066/1903 Dorland 22/588 Chikazawa, both of Kanagawa, 1,807,894 6/1931Casto et al 101 I157 X Japan, 2,203,571 6/1940 Hutchison 401/1202,248,277 7/1941 Menard 222/457 X [73] Assignee: Sumitomo ElectricIndustries Ltd.,

Osaka Japan Primary Examiner-J. Reed Fisher 22 Filed; May 21, 1970Attorney, Agent, or FirmSughrue, Rothwell, Mion,

Z' & M k 211 Appl. No.: 39,407 acpea [57] ABSTRACT [30] Forelgn ApphcamnPnomy Data Marking apparatus for printing on the surface of elon- May27, 1969 Japan 44-48974 gated objects, comprising a rotatable markingroll May 27, 1969 Japan 44-48975 adapted to engage the object, arotatable feeding roll partially immersed in an ink trough and being inenl Cl 16 gagement with the marking roll to transfer ink thereto, [5i]lltt. Cl B41] 27/08 an a embly for causing the feeding roll to rotate ata Fleld of a c 1- 350, lower speed than the marking roll, and anautomatic ink feed device'which supplies ink to the trough.

l Claim', 4 Drawing Figures II,IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/ PATENTEM I 31974 3,828.665

SHEET 2 [IF 2 MARKING APPARATUS FOR ELONGATED OBJECTS BACKGROUND ANDSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a marking apparatuswhich continuously prints figures, letters, signs, etc., on the surfaceof electric wire or other elongated objects along their length.

This invention provides an apparatus which precludes the splashing aboutof excessive ink and staining of the electric wire or other objectsunder manufacture when doing the above-mentioned printing and which atthe same time produces a uniform print. As will be disclosed, theapparatus comprises a marking roll, a feeding roll which is partlyimmersed in the ink trough and which revolves at a lower speed than themarking roll and which is so constructed that the marking roll andfeeding roll are in contact with each other with a layer of inktherebetween, and an automatic ink feed device which automaticallysupplies ink to the ink trough.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of aprior art marking apparatus heretofore in use;

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the marking apparatus of thisinvention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the marking apparatus of thisinvention provided with an automatic ink feed device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT This invention relates to amarking apparatus for printing figures, letters, signs, etc., on thesurface of electric wire or other elongated objects continuously alongtheir length.

Such an apparatus as shown in FIG. 1 has heretofore been used forprinting figures, letters, signs, etc., on the surface of electric wireor other elongated objects. The printing has been accomplished with suchan apparatus in the following manner:

On the circumferential surface of a roll which contacts the surface ofthe wire 1 are made negative or positive engravings of signs or thelike. The marking roll 2 which has been prepared in this way is sopositioned that its lower part is slightly immersed in the ink trough 3.If the wire 1 is moved in the direction of the arrow, the marking roll 2revolves in the direction of the arrow because of its friction with thewire 1 and the ink is picked up by the marking roll 2. The excess ink iswiped off by means of a scraper 4 and the necessary print is produced onthe surface of the electric wire 1.

However, if the speed of movement of the electric wire becomes high, thespeed of revolution of the marking roll also becomes high, and theviscosity of ink causes the ink to attach itself more than necessary onthe circumference and lateral faces of the marking roll. Such excessiveink which the scraper has failed to wipe off, especially the ink whichhas attached itself on the lateral faces of the marking roll, splashesabout because of the centrifugal force and stains the wire and otherthings in the vicinity thereof.

Moreover, it is necessary that a fixed quantity of ink is picked up bythe surface of the marking roll at all times, if a uniform marking is tobe accomplished on the surface of the wire which is moving at a constantspeed in case the marking roll is revolved by the friction of itscontact with the electric wire and a part of the marking roll thus moveson immersed in the ink in the trough 3. For this purpose, it isnecessary that the height of the surface of the ink in the trough bemaintained constant.

However, the height of the surface of the ink in the ink trough comesdown due to comsumption and evaporation. It would be desirable,therefore, to maintain the viscosity of the ink in the ink trough andthe height of the surface of the ink in the ink trough at substantiallyconstant values.

An object of this invention is to provide a marking apparatus which isnot subject to the drawbacks of the marking apparatus shown in FIG. 1heretofore in use and which is suitable for a high speed markingoperation, and further to provide a marking apparatus provided with anink feed device which can automatically supply ink to the ink trough.

A characteristic of this invention is that the apparatus is providedwith a marking roll and a feeding roll which has a portion immersed inthe ink trough and which revolves at a lower speed than the markingroll, and that it is so constructed that the marking roll and feedingroll are in contact with each other with a layer of ink therebetween.

Another characteristic of this invention is that the marking apparatusis provided with an ink feed device which comprises an ink trough whichsupplies ink to thefeeding roll and in ink feed tank which is connectedto the ink trough, the ink trough having an ink supply opening whichopens above and below the surface of the ink, the ink feed tank having astopper in the upper part and an ink supply regulating cock in the lowerpart, and the tank being connected to the ink trough via the supplyopening of the ink trough and the regulating cock of the ink feed tank.

The present invention will now be explained in detail, with reference tothe drawings. In FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, the same numerals andletters as those. used in FIG. 1 indicate the same parts.

In FIGS. 2 4, 5 denotes the feeding roll. Its lower part is immersed inthe ink trough 3, and its upper part contacts the marking roll 2 withthe ink layer 6 therebetween. 7 denotes the scraper for the feedingroll. 8 denotes the gap regulating eccentric wheel for the feeding roll5 and the marking roll 2. The eccentric wheel 8 has gear teeth 9 whichmesh with the worm gear 10 which is rotated by means of the handle 12attached to its axle 1 l In FIG. 3, l3 and 14 denote respectively thebearings for the revolving axles l5 and 16 of the marking roll 2 andfeeding roll 5, respectively. 17 denotes the supporting lever for saidbearings 13 and l4. l8 and 19 denote respectively the pulleys fixed atthe other ends of said revolving axles l5 and 16, and are connected bymeans of a belt 20. These pulleys l8 and 19 are for the purpose ofmaking the feeding roll 5 revolve at a lower speed than the marking roll2, the diameter of the pulley 16 being smaller than that of the pulleyl7. Consequently, the rotational speed of the feeding roll 5 is reducedin accordance with the ratio of the pulley diameters. As an alternative,the feeding roll 5 may be revolved at the desired speed by means ofanother motor ('not shown). The reduction of the revolving speed of thefeeding roll 5 may also be effected by making it of a material having asmall friction coefficient, such as Teflon.

Because ofthe presence of thefeeding roll 5, the ink attaches itselfonly to the circumferential surface of the marking roll 2, and not tothe lateral faces. The control of the quantity of ink attaching to thecircumferential surface of the markingroll is effected by moving theeccentric wheel 8 of the feedingroll 5 tween it and the marking roll 2..7

In FIG. 4, 21 denotes the ink supply opening which opens through thesurface of the ink in the ink trough 3, 22 denotes the ink feed tankwhich contains ink 26 of a fixed viscosity and which is connected to theink trough 3. 23 denotes the stopper for the ink inlet, and 24 the valvecock for the ink level regulation. It is connected to the supply opening21 of the ink trough 3 by the passage 25.

lnk may be supplied to the ink trough 3 through the passage 25 and thesupply opening 21 from the feed tank 22 upon turning the cock 24, whileair may be introduced .into the feed tank 22 at the same time as ink issupplied. In case the position of the valve cock 24 has been adjusted toa given height of the ink surface, an

to vary the gap beequilibrium due to the atmospheric-pressure ismaintained because the ink in the ink trough 3 and the ink in the inkfeed tank 22 are connected together, and no ink is fed. However, as aresult of the lowering of the ink surface due to the consumption of ink,air flows into the feed tank 22 throughthe cock 24 and in place of it,the ink 26 of the fixed viscosity in the feed tank 22 is automaticallysupplied through the passage 25 of the cock 24 and the supply opening 21and raises the level of the ink surface to thus cut off the introductionof the air.

.The above-mentioned automatically controlled feeding is repeated untilthe ink 26 in the feed tank 22 is exhausted. When the level of the ink26 in the feed tank 22 has come down to a given quantity, the stopper 23for the inlet in the upper part is removed and ink is poured in forreplenishment.

It is possible to effect delicate control of the quantity of inksupplied to the feeding roll in high speed marking, because, as alreadymentioned, the height of the surface of the ink cannot only bemaintained constant by automatically supplying ink of a fixed viscosity,be can also be adjusted freely by adjusting the opening of the cock.

What is claimed is:

l. A marking apparatus for marking a moving elongated object moving athigh lineal speeds, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

a freely rotatable marking roll mounted for rotation about its axis andin peripheral contact with said elongated object for frictional rotationby peripheral engagement therewith,

an ink trough,

a rotatable ink feeding roll mounted for rotation about its axis, havinga circumferential, peripheral surface and lateral surfaces partiallyimmersed in said ink trough and having its periphery spaced slightlyfrom the periphery of the rotatable marking roll,

means for variably regulating the gap between the marking roll and thefeeding roll by shifting the axis of the rotatable ink feeding rollrelative to the axis of the rotatable marking roll, and

drive means carried by said frictionally driven, rotatable marking rollengaging said rotatable ink feeding roll for driving said ink feedingroll at a substantially slower speed than the rotatable marking roll,

gated object.

1. A marking apparatus for marking a moving elongated object moving athigh lineal speeds, said apparatus comprising, in combination: a freelyrotatable marking roll mounted for rotation about its axis and inperipheral contact with said elongated object for frictional rotation byperipheral engagement therewith, an ink trough, a rotatable ink feedingroll mounted for rotation about its axis, having a circumferential,peripheral surface and lateral surfaces partially immersed in said inktrough and having its periphery spaced slightly from the periphery ofthe rotatable marking roll, means for variably regulating the gapbetween the marking roll and the feeding roll by shifting the axis ofthe rotatable ink feeding roll relative to the axis of the rotatablemarking roll, and drive means carried by said frictionally driven,rotatable marking roll engaging said rotatable ink feeding roll fordriving said ink feeding roll at a substantially slower speed than therotatable marking roll, whereby, the relative slow speed of the feedingroll relative to the marking roll and the variable gap between theopposed peripheral surfaces of said roll permit close control of inktransfer from the rotatable marking roll to the high speed movingelongated object.